Allen Bruce Reece
1/30/2002
A funeral Mass was celebrated Monday for Allen Bruce Reece, who died Jan. 30 at his Elmwood Township home. He was 50.
Mr. Reece was born in Traverse City on Jan. 12, 1950, the son of Norman D. and Arlene (Sanborn) Reece. On Sept. 29, 1973 in Suttons Bay, he married the former Margaret M. Walter, who survives.
Mr. Reece was a quiet, loving man, and a devoted and caring husband and father. He enjoyed his family above all, as well as football, cooking, wood crafting and cabinet making.
Also surviving are his two sons, Chad Reece and Aaron Reece, both of Traverse City; his parents of Leesburg, Fla.; two brothers, Dale (Nancy) Reece and Kim (Susan) Reece, both of Traverse City; and a sister, Eilene Reece of Columbus, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his son, Adam.
Burial was in St. Michael's Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to St. Michael's Religious Education, or to Leelanau County Christian Neighbors.
Jack Duncan Buchan
1/16/2002
Jack Duncan Buchan of South Lyon died Jan. 16 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Ann Arbor. He was 74.
Mr. Buchan was born on Aug. 28, 1927, the son of George and Alice Buchan. Mr. Buchan worked for Chrysler for 27 years after returning from Guam while serving in the Navy. He was retired for 13 years while enjoying his family and traveling.
Surviving are his wife of 52 years, Margaret Mary; a son, Bruce (Catherine) of Cedar; daughters Lori (Mike) Ward, Carol (Jim) Don and Margaret (Mike) Sadler and son of South Lyon; and 11 grandchildren.
Frances X. Shipstead
2/1/2002
Funeral services will be held at a later date for Frances X. Shipstead, who died Friday at her Suttons Bay home. She was 80.
Mrs. Shipstead was born on Oct. 16, 1921, in New York City, the daughter of Peter and Catherine (Kearney) Wright. At West Pointe, N.Y. in August, 1943, she married Alton Martin Shipstead Sr., who preceded her in death on March 10, 1990.
Surviving are three children, Susan Pelietier of Cary, Ill., Bud Shipstead of Traverse City, and Pat Shipstead of Coto de Caza, Calif.; and seven grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by two sisters, Marion and Catherine.
Burial will be in West Pointe. Memorials may be directed to Grand Traverse Hospice.
Marion L. Devers
2/10/2002
A funeral Liturgy was held yesterday at Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church of Orchard Lake for West Bloomfield resident Marion L. Devers, who died Feb. 10. She was 79.
Mrs. Devers was a bookkeeper at various Detroit auto dealerships, and for 20 years operated her own bookstore, "Marion's Librarian" in Northport. She studied the British Royal Family with a passion.
Surviving are her husband, William; children William James (Deborah) Devers of Highland, Janet Devers of Utica, Paul Devers of West Bloomfield, Kathryn Smith of Farmington, Mark J. (Margaret) Devers of Alpena and Ruth Ellen (Gary) Swick; sisters Barbara (Richard) Duncan and Mary Jane Heckman; and 10 grandchildren.
Emma Elsie Mebert
1/10/2002
Funeral services were held yesterday for Suttons Bay resident Emma Elsie Mebert, who died Jeb. 10 at Leelanau Memorial Health Center. She was 96.
Mrs. Mebert was born on Dec. 2, 1906, in Bingham Township, the daughter of Fred and Betha (Remus) Behm. On Dec. 14, 1927, in Traverse City, she married Roscoe Manus Mebert, who preceded her in death in 1956.
Mrs. Mebert enjoyed knitting, crocheting and working puzzle books.
Surviving are her son, James (Zona) Mebert of Suttons Bay; a daughter-in-law, Jacqueline Mebert of Florida; seven grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and 14 great-great-grandchildren.
She was also preceded in death by her son, Robert Roscoe; three brothers, Henry, William and Charles; and six sisters, Ida, Minnie, Bedee, Amy, Dorothy and Martha.
Burial will be in Keswick Maple Grove Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Suttons Bay-Bingham Rescue Squad.
Walter 'Buster' Miller
2/8/2002
Funeral services were held Tuesday at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church for Elkhart, Ind. and Leland resident Walter J. "Buster" Miller, who died Feb. 8 at Elkhart General Hospital. He was 78.
Mr. Miller was born on Sept. 2, 1923, in Elkhart, the son of Frank J. and Margaret S. (Ludwig) Miller. On Nov. 26, 1949, in Elgin, Ill., he married the former Fern Schoonhoven, who died on April 24, 1999.
Mr. Miller was a graduate of Northwestern University. He was the former president of Elkhart Steel Services, retiring in 1994, and treasurer of Elkhart Bridge and Iron from 1949-1977. A Navy veteran of World War II, he was a member of Beta Theta Pi at Northwestern, Leland Country Club and Gill's Pier Country Club. While summering in Leland he would attend St. Wenceslaus Church.
Surviving are a daughter, Mary Lee (Kate Mason) Miller of Plainfield, N.J.; sons Bradford J. (Michelle) Miller of Elkhart and Thomas A. (Hilarie) Miller of Houston; a brother, Martin "Bud" Miller of North Caroline; and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother, Frank E. Miller.
Burial will be in Rice Cemetery, Elkhart. Memorials may be made to St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Elkhart Chapter of the American Cancer Society; or Marion High School.
Edith 'Marie' Smith
2/7/2002
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Church of God in Mio for Zephyrhills, Fla. and Fairview, Mich. resident Edith "Marie" (Galbraith) Smith, who died Feb. 7. She was 89.
Mrs. Smith was a retired school teacher who lived and worked for most of her life in Mio while spending summers on South Manitou Island where she hosted family, friends and visitors. She served as secretary of the local chapter of the Michigan Retired School Teachers Association, and was a member of the South Manitou Memorial Society, Alliance Church of Zephyrhills, and lifelong member of the Mio Church of God. She also volunteered at the AuSable Valley Nursing Home and AuSable Valley Apartments, and enjoyed playing cards.
Surviving are a daughter, Margaret (Charles) Hodge of Empire, daughter-in-law Helen (Rod) Leaf of Mio; eight grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Allen "Mike" Smith in 1977; and her son, James Smith in 1964.
Memorials may be made to the South Manitou Memorial Society, Community Caring-Assisted Living Fund, or to the charity of one's choice. Internment will be April 21 at Kittle Cemetery, Mio.
Clayton John Symons
2/8/2002
Funeral services were conducted Monday at Immanuel Lutheran Church for Suttons Bay resident Clayton John Symons, who died Feb. 8 at Leelanau Memorial Health Center. He was 91.
Mr. Symons was born on June 11, 1910, in Wolverine, the son of John and Sarah (Bullock) Symons. On April 23, 1936, in Detroit, he married the former Dorothy Louise Horstman, who survives.
Mr. Symons retired from the Ferndale Public School System in 1969. He was an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church of Traverse City, and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Suttons Bay. He taught Sunday school and served the church as a deacon.
Mr. Symons was also active with the Boy Scouts of America, and was a scoutmaster in Kearsarge and Highland Park. He was an avid gardener who for many years sold his vegetables, raspberries and flowers.
Also surviving are his daughter, Dottie (Jim) Brenner of Beverly Hills, Mich.; a sister, Marjorie Symons of Livonia; and four grandsons. He was preceded in death by daughters Joan and Judy, three brothers and one sister.
Interment will be in Lutheran Cemetery in Suttons Bay. Memorials may be made to ShareCare of Leelanau County, or to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Suttons Bay.
Dorothy L. Husted
1/10/2002
Funeral services were held Monday for Springfield, Ohio, resident Dorothy L. Husted, who died Jan. 10. She was 86.
Mrs. Husted was born on March 28, 1915, in Delphos, Ohio, the daughter of Charles F. and Jessie E. (McKenzie) Lehmann. Her husband of 47 years, Judge Stanley N. Husted, preceded her in death in 1990.
Mrs. Husted graduated from Delphos Jefferson High School and Wittenberg University. She was a former high school teacher in Delphos and Glen Lake.
She was a member of First Lutheran Church, Alpha Delta Pi, Young Women's Mission and the Order of Eastern Star (Antioch Chapter); and a past president of the Kiwani-Annes. She was a loving wife, mother and homemaker.
Surviving are a daughter, Mary L. (Jay P.) Morley of Glenview, Ill.; a son, Stanley N. (Clara) Husted II of Springfield; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by a brother, Morris J. Lehmann.
Burial was in Ferncliff Cemetery. Memorials may be made to First Lutheran Church, 30 S. Wittenberg Ave, Springfield 45502; or the Springfield Kiwanis Foundation (Scholarship Fund), P.O. Box 1653, Springfield.
Milton C. Basch
1/22/2002
Funeral services were held Saturday at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Glen Arbor for Port Oneida resident Milton C. Basch, who died Jan. 22 at Maple Valley Nursing Home. He was 87.
Mr. Basch was born in Port Oneida on June 28, 1914, the son of Martin C. and Ella E. (Dago-Dechow) Basch. On Oct. 25, 1944, at First Lutheran Church in Suttons Bay, he married Mildred E. Riss, who preceded him in death.
Mr. Basch was a dairy farmer in Port Oneida. He was also a master painter for Kieft and Dorsey Construction of Glen Lake. An avid gardener, fisherman and hunter, he played and coached softball and baseball well into his sixties. He was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
Surviving are four sons, Martin (Kathy) of Kalamazoo, Mel (Linda) of Traverse City, Monty of Maple City and Martin (and his financee, Wendy Debski) of Maple City; his sister, Beulah (George) Scott of Detroit; and five grandchildren. He was also preceded in death by a son, Myron; five brothers, Ivan J., Lester, Walter C., Harvey B. and Gordon C.; and a sister, Mildred Firestone.
Interment will be in the Cleveland Township Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Bethlehem Lutheran Church or the Maple Valley Nursing Home Activity Fund.
Ted L. Hansen
1/9/2002
Ted L. Hansen died Jan. 9 at his Solon Township home. He was 77.
Mr. Hansen was born in Buckley on June 20, 1924, the son of Carl and Helen (Logsdon) Hansen. A veteran of World War II, he was self-employed and enjoyed hunting and fishing.
Surviving are four sons, Joe (Patricia) of Buckley, and Jim, Ted Jr. and Carl (Gloria), all of Auburn, Ind.; three daughters, Linda Geisinger, Helen (Larry) Smith of Auburn and Sherry (Mike) Ames of Montrose; four brothers, Armond (Dotty) of Grand Rapids, Vincent (Mary) of Buckley, Robert (Doris) also of Buckley and Paul (June) of Grawn; three sisters, Margaret (Jake) Kolarick of Traverse City, Lillian (Bill) Hartzall of Three Rivers and Marilynn O'Neil of Lansing; 12 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two great-great-grandchildren.
